Denson's Creek Trail
Recommended Season: Year Round
Use: Medium to Heavy
Difficulty: Easy to moderate Length: 2.3 miles; 0.75 miles (short loop)
Trail Beginning/Access: 2 Miles east of Troy on hwy 24/27 behind District Office.
Description:
Denson's Creek Trail is an interpretive trail constructed by the Youth Conservation Corps in 1974. The trail includes a short loop of 3/4 miles and a long loop of 2.3 miles. A brochure guides the hiker through 17 stops of historical and biological interest.
Attractions And Considerations:
Before the Uwharrie National Forest was established, much of its area was cutover, abandoned farmland. Today, instead of cutover land, you can enjoy a mix of pines and hardwoods that provide habitat for a variety of wildlife species. Along the Densons Creek Nature Trail, you can see where forests have replaced farm fields and where an old homestead once stood. You can see a wildlife opening that attracts deer and turkey to the former site of a sawmill.
The trail is behind the Uwharrie National Forest office on NC 24/27, 2 miles east of Troy. This trail has two loops: a short loop of 0.75 miles and a longer loop of 2.3 miles. Benches along the trail provide a resting spot or a place for watching wildlife. You can pick up a trail brochure that points out the historic site locations and some of the plant life along the way. Numbered posts correspond to short descriptions in the brochure. You'll also find about a dozen trees identified beside the trail.
The path is well-marked and leads through a mature forest of mixed pine and hardwoods. Mountain laurel bushes line the way, and their pink and white blossoms add a touch of color to the trail during springtime. Tapering ferns cover the moist soil beside the streams. Running cedar carpets the drier sections. The path leads beside an old sawmill site that is now a food plot for wildlife. Early morning hikers may spot deer or a wild turkey feeding here if they are quiet. Stroll past old farms and home sites that have gone back to nature. This is a nice little adventure for the family.